


Merlin and Lady Ingrede

by halfhardtorock



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, Masturbation, Voyeurism
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-11
Updated: 2014-08-11
Packaged: 2018-02-12 16:17:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2116479
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfhardtorock/pseuds/halfhardtorock
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lady Ingrede is an old favorite of Arthur's. She's just a bit older than him, quiet with a polite warmth in mannerism, and when she visits, Arthur loves teasing her, an impertinence that their long acquaintanceship affords.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Merlin and Lady Ingrede

 

 

"-and you mustn't aggravate Ingrede," Uther chastises him at dinner, though he's smiling a little. "She's not a common kitchen wench that you can toy with, Arthur. If you weren't a king's son, she'd likely be your better, her father owns near-half of Albion. At least, the half that matters."

Arthur waves his hand, pops another grape in his mouth. "We have an understanding, father, me and the Lady."

As he strolls back to his chambers, Merlin at his heel trying to catch up, he thinks about her fondly, wondering what sort of trouble he can get up to, to put a blush on her fair face.

"Who is the Lady Ingrede?" Merlin asks when he closes the door behind them.

Arthur sighs, putting on his sleep shirt. "When will you learn that you talk when you're spoken to, Merlin?" he asks. Merlin fiddles with his furs, moving them aside, pulling the blankets back for Arthur to climb in. Arthur glares at him meaningfully, but when Merlin's done, he just turns and looks back, guileless, waiting for Arthur's answer.

Arthur gives a long-suffering sigh and gets into his bed. "Lady Ingrede is one of my oldest friends. Her father is my father's...well, they're not exactly friends themselves, but they feel a great mutual respect. She used to visit every fall, but now that her mother has passed, she runs her father's estate and cannot get away as easily. She comes tomorrow to visit."

Arthur leans back in his pillows, groaning at the comfort of them. Merlin makes a concerned face, reaches around Arthur's back to fluff them just right.

After a moment, Arthur waves him away, slapping him once in the thin chest with the back of his hand. "Stop...fussing."

"The Lady Ingrede, is she pretty?" Merlin asks.

"Oh yes, very," Arthur agrees. When he sees Merlin's cheeky little smile, Arthur rolls his eyes. "Not like _that_."

"No?" Merlin asks, eyes bright.

Arthur huffs, turns his back on Merlin, settling in. "Would I have to marry amongst the women of my acquaintance, I suppose I could do worse than Lady Ingrede, but she's...like an elder sister. I could not think of her that way."

He feels Merlin tug the blanket up over his shoulder, give his back a smoothing with his palm before he starts sneaking out the door.

Arthur yawns. "I'll need you early. I want to be ready for her arrival."

"Yes, Arthur," Merlin whispers back. Arthur snorts. And so Merlin adds a "Goodnight, my Lord."

Arthur snuffles into his pillow and falls asleep.

 

 

He wants his soft blue tunic and his brown coat, which are comfortable and casual and he knows will put the lady out of sorts, especially now that she is a Lady of the house and used to Lords dressing themselves finely for her company.

When she arrives, she is on horseback, and his father laughs a little as he goes forward, surprisingly, to help her down. "Ingrede, child, did you come all this way on horseback?" he asks.

She gives Uther a small, chaste hug and says "No, my king, it was only the last hour or so. It is a pretty day, and your kingdom is best seen this way."

Uther smiles, guides her to where Arthur is standing, trying his damnedest not to smirk at her.

"Your farms are all reaping, I saw a great plenty coming out of those harvest fields. It's a heartening sight, sire," she tells Uther as he takes her arm and weaves it into his fondly. He pets her hand and says "Yes, we have had a very prosperous year."

Arthur walks the last two steps to greet her then, Merlin following at his heels, loping.

Uther passes Ingrede's hand to him and Arthur takes it, grins and presses a kiss to the back, at her rings. When he looks up, she is all right in manner, gentle surprise, a bit of a blush and then her smile of discernment. She knows all about him.

"Lady Ingrede-" he says to her.

"-Prince Arthur," she says back, a little amused maybe. He breathes in deeply, happy with himself.

"Let me show you to your chambers, my lady," Arthur tells her and rushes her up the stairs, taking two at a time. He catches his father's chuckle behind him.

He sweeps her along quickly, listening to her soft noises of disapproval, but seeing only a placid smile grace her lips.

At her chambers, he is grinning, but she is so...it drives him mad already, the way she puts herself back together neatly, reveals nothing, is everything proper in an instant.

"My lady," Arthur says. She looks at his face, then turns her eyes to the side before she clears her expression and says "Yes, Arthur?"

He bows extravagantly. "Whatever is mine, is yours. Ask anything of me, and you shall have it. If you want, it will be as though I want, and your needs shall be fulfilled almost instantly-"

It's going well, he can _see_ the color rising on her cheeks, but then Merlin snorts behind him, and everything is lost.

He rises from his bow, shoots Merlin a scowl.

Merlin looks away, hands obedient before him.

When Arthur glances back at her, Lady Ingrede is looking past him at Merlin.

"This is just _Merlin_ , my terrible manservant. If you should need anything, Merlin is at your disposal. I imagine he will be far better at serving a beautiful lady than he is serving me."

When he looks at Merlin, he's giddy to see that Merlin's face has reddened.

Lady Ingrede though, spoilsport, just turns her eyes down politely and says "that is fine, thank you."

Which is just when Morgana has to arrive in her _bedclothes still_ to ruin everything.

"Lady Ingrede!" Morgana says, smiling, flying in with her hair loose. "I have overslept! I cannot believe it!"

Lady Ingrede actually laughs, a lovely sound, and they hug warmly. It's a very pleasing sight, especially with Morgana in her bedclothes.

But then Morgana casts him a dark look and says "I am sure you've had enough of Arthur's ridiculousness for today. Out with you! Ingrede needs to rest after her long journey! Shoo!"

Arthur rolls his eyes, takes Merlin by the upper arm and drags him from the room.

"You shall see to her every need. And stop looking like I've dishonored you. The Lady Ingrede could care less. She probably has forgotten it already. Don't be surprised if you have to remind her of your name a few times. That is how it is with nobles."

Merlin nods, but his face is still blushy hot when Arthur slaps it lightly. "Stop. You look like a girl."

 

 

Unfortunately, the arrival of Lady Ingrede coincides with Kalen's final adjustments to Arthur's new catapult, which is possibly 5 times as large as the last one and capable of throwing farther than the fourth field. Kalen says he even sent a flaming ball of dung into the west forest, which seems rather far to Arthur, so Arthur says quickly "do _not_ test it again until I can come!" and hastens to dress.

Merlin arrives just before he dashes out and Arthur says "Just...will you do something right for once and wait on my Lady? And bring her to the fields after lunch! I want to show her my catapult."

Arthur spends most of the morning sending steaming, flaming piles of shit into the field, whooping. And then, finally, Merlin shows up with Lady Ingrede on his arm, helping her over the muddy field.

Arthur takes her arm instantly, gives Merlin a sharp look for being late. Then he shows the catapult and all its workings to the lady, grinning as she oohs over his work. He finds her most charmingly interested in catapult mechanics, for a woman.

"So what did you get up to this morning, then?" Arthur asks her, all casual and she smiles graciously, says "Merlin was kind enough to show me your orchards. Your pear trees are laden with fruit."

"Ah," Arthur says, but takes Merlin aside later and tells him "Do not _bore_ the Lady Ingrede with your little garden tours!"

Merlin is scandalized, says "I did not! She liked it-"

"- _No_ ," Arthur says, "You're so stupid, Merlin. The Lady Ingrede is just much too polite to not smile and seem interested. She's a _lady_. She would not even behave rudely to a _servant_ , no matter how disinterested she really is."

Merlin looks infuriatingly amused then, arms crossed over his chest, giving Arthur a pointed look. But Arthur doesn't know what that's about, neither does he care, so he just waves him away angrily and goes back to showing Lady Ingrede, who is absolutely diverted, another catapult lob, this time a basket of smaller rocks to compare with the basket of slightly larger rocks they did thrice already.

When there's a break in lobs, the catapult needs a change of rope, so Arthur takes Merlin by the collar and says low "Take the Lady Ingrede back and do whatever she likes, and please, for the sake of the gods, do not bore her again with your mundane frivolities."

Merlin scowls but nods curtly. Arthur watches a moment as Merlin guides Ingrede back over the field, and then he slaps his gloved hands together and goes to help re-tie the rope.

 

 

When he looks for her, the Lady is not in her chambers, nor is she in Morgana's nor in the hall. He even tries the library, because he knows she's a bit of a reader, but she's not there either.

He gives up after a while, decides to find Merlin instead and give him a good thump for letting the lady out of his sights. The lazy cur is probably sleeping away the afternoon in his bunk.

But when Arthur gets to Gaius's door, he hears voices from within, Merlin's. And Lady Ingrede's.

Frowning, Arthur quietly pushes the door open.

Gaius looks up from his table where he's writing something in a book, his spectacles perched on his nose. He gives Arthur a pleasant look, one that seems to imply that everything is just fine with them.

At Gaius's shelves of tinctures and herbs and salves is Merlin and Lady Ingrede, their backs turned, unaware of Arthur's arrival.

Arthur pauses, hands on his hips, listening.

"-this one is hellebore, which you can find by the river in the pine forest. It prospers in the wild, but we cannot seem to grow it easily here."

"-ah, yes. I don't think I recall you mentioning it in your little garden," Lady Ingrede says kindly.

Arthur watches as they move slowly down the row, as Merlin chooses another tincture, holds it up as they peer at it, says "Ah, this one's Lady's Mantle-"

And that's about enough of that. _"Merlin,"_ Arthur says sharply.

Merlin turns around quickly, surprised. He looks out of sorts, which he should be.

Lady Ingrede smiles, stepping aside and Arthur thinks it takes a great sort of woman to be so virtuously patient with the prattling of his idiotic manservant.

"Excuse me, Lady Ingrede, whilst I thrash my manservant," he says sagely as he takes Merlin by the arm and yanks him from the room.

"You took her to your _herb garden_? Are you out of your mind?" Arthur says roughly, voice low.

Merlin's annoyed, mouth quirked. "She said she would like to see it! We spent the better part of an hour setting new stones along the lavender-"

"-you put _Lady Ingrede to work_?!" Arthur gasps, horrified. "Merlin!"

"I would never make her! It wasn't like that!" Merlin argues hotly. "I swear it!"

The door opens and Lady Ingrede comes out, face wan. "My Lord, I would very much like to hear more about your mechanical devices. Have you more such as your catapult?" she asks and Arthur takes her arm, shoots Merlin a smirk.

"Well, to be honest, my lady, I have little interest in much else, other than training. Oh, perhaps you would also like to see my new crossbow. State of the art."

He walks her away, takes pleasure in explaining the intricate details of the crossbow's mechanism.

 

 

The next day, he hears word from Kalen that they're going to send _a goat_ up on the catapult and several large pumpkins, so he rushes out in a flurry, dragging on his coat as he runs, and yells back at Merlin "No more gardens!"

When he returns, muddy and satisfied, well after lunch, he finds his father alone in the hall, and an amusing tale about how Merlin has escorted Lady Ingrede on a walk in the forest.

Arthur's suspicions are confirmed when he finds them later, walking back up the path to the courtyard, Merlin's arms laden with herbs and green things and dirty roots. Lady Ingrede walks companionably with Merlin, listening to him chattering away.

Arthur groans, palms his face.

When Merlin sees him, he pauses, frowns. Looks away. And Arthur watches Lady Ingrede's face go all surprised, like she's amazed the boy can stop talking at all. Arthur sighs heavily, walks up and offers his hand. "Come, my lady. Let us go somewhere peaceful."

Merlin looks hurt, but he just bows quietly to Lady Ingrede and lopes away with his bounty.

"Ah, so what can we do to make up for such a tedious morning?" Arthur asks her, grinning. She looks at him and then laughs softly, shakes her head.

"I had a lovely morning, my lord."

Arthur shakes his head. "You're too kind, Lady."

They end up in the hall where Arthur calls for some of the summer wines for her to taste. He's a bit knackered by the time Morgana shows up to drag Lady Ingrede away with her.

 

 

And then, no visit to Camelot is complete without some kind of magical attack. Of course.

"Oh, I am so sorry about this-" Uther says, pained to Lady Ingrede as the sorceress cackles.

Apparently, the sorceress is no other than Hilde the chambermaid, recently spurned by Sir Owain for the affections of Lady Rhea, Sir Lucas's younger sister. Whatever, Arthur tries not to follow court gossip.

Hilde shouts something about _true love cannot be thwarted_ and _without her true desire's kiss, she will die!_ before she disappears in a ball of smoke that leaves Arthur and most of the table hacking into their hands.

"What the bloody hell was that about?" Arthur asks everyone.

Lady Ingrede is holding a goblet in her hand, a different goblet from the rest of the others, and she looks at it now, startled.

"Oh dear, you didn't drink from that, did you?" Morgana asks her, worrying.

"She was serving me wine, I had no idea-" Lady Ingrede says softly, almost to herself.

Arthur's father looks like he's about to pop a vessel and he calls for the guard to search the grounds, though it's bound to be a fruitless effort.

"-wait, what...what did she say?" Arthur starts and Gaius picks up the question, though he can hear Merlin murmuring it at his back too, frantic.

"-she has apparently put a spell on your wine, my lady, that you must seek your 'true desire's kiss' in order to survive this night."

Everyone stares at Gaius.

"Certainly that can't mean-" Uther starts.

"-true desire's kiss? I...she has to kiss who exactly?" Morgana says.

"Oh, blast," Lady Ingrede sighs. Which makes Arthur's ears pink, he's _never_ heard Lady Ingrede say anything so indelicate.

"Lady Ingrede-" Uther begins a formal discussion on the subject, but goes silent when she stands, self-possessed.

"-My Lord, I...I am very fond of your family," Lady Ingrede admits, and Arthur's face heats even more, but this time in pleasure.

"I loathe to be impertinent, Sire," Lady Ingrede says in such a gentle way, it's almost laughable that she could possibly claim impertience, "but since my mother's death, I have thought of your family fondly, have embraced you as my own. It would pain me greatly if what I must do tonight should make you think poorly of me."

"Lady Ingrede-" Uther says placidly. "I must hasten to assure you that this feeling is quite mutual. And before you upset yourself further, know that I have often idly considered the match and found it quite agreeable."

Lady Ingrede pauses then, listening, brows together in an expression of confusion.

Arthur grins, neatens his tunic and wipes his mouth off on his napkin.

"Oh," Lady Ingrede says, and then looks worriedly at Arthur.

Morgana snorts, sits back in her chair and scowls at him.

Arthur thinks that this is rather lovely. To be called upon to kiss a woman he finds quite attractive anyway to save her life. To be her hero and enjoy her lips on the same occasion seems almost too perfect. He knows magic is evil and what-not, but maybe that Hilde was onto something.

Lady Ingrede takes a deep, shaky breath and tries to smile, looks around the room like it may be the last time she does.

And then she starts walking around the table.

Arthur pushes his chair out hastily, trying to look solemn. Lady Ingrede's face has pinked, her eyes are cast to the floor and Arthur wants to make her laugh, tease her, kiss her and tweak her ear.

He can't help himself, he grins a little as she steps closer.

But the grin slips off his face when she walks _right past_ him.

He makes a noise of disapproval, sees his father's own expression of surprise.

When Arthur looks, she's walking towards the knights, and Arthur will not be very pleased with whichever one of them has seduced his fine lady.

They all seem startled too, look up expectantly until she passes. She does pass though, right over them and she's headed for...for-

"Oh gods-" Arthur says sharply, standing up, shoving his chair back.

Merlin stares at Lady Ingrede, his wine jug clutched to his chest. His eyes are bright, searching, but flick away to the floor quickly, yielding.

The room goes breathlessly quiet.

" _Merlin_ ," the Lady Ingrede says so gently, with such affection, Arthur's throat goes tight. Merlin's eyes close and he says "Yes, my lady?"

She laughs a little then like the absurdity of the moment is not lost on her, but then she sighs and says "Would it be most unsuitable if I asked you for a kiss?"

Arthur makes a scandalized noise.

Merlin shakes his head, opens his eyes and says "Erm, no? It...it would not."

So their lips meet for a chaste moment, their pink faces touched together just so, all soft lips seeking, and it's rather _sickeningly_ tender, rather romantic in the most appallingly sincere way. Arthur's chest hurts.

Then the Lady Ingrede pulls away and touches the little black curl of hair underneath Merlin's ear, just rubbing it for a moment between her fingertips. Merlin's face goes _high_ with color, his mouth parted. And it's all just so unbearable suddenly, Arthur shouts " _THAT IS PROBABLY ENOUGH!_ "

Everyone looks at him, startled, like they had also been enchanted briefly by the spectacle.

Lady Ingrede turns to Uther, head bowed.

"Well," says Uther, clearing his throat. "I think that is enough excitement for one night. Lady Ingrede, will you stay to speak with me?"

Arthur takes Merlin roughly by the collar as he stalks out of the hall.

 

 

"What will happen to her? What will the king do?" Merlin is asking, fraught. Arthur snarls and brings him down into an empty hallway, pins him to the wall easily with a hand to his shoulder. "What did you do?!"

Merlin looks surprised, blinks a few times and says "N-nothing! What do you mean-?"

"If you have _despoiled_ her-!" Arthur starts to warn, but Merlin winces like he's been slapped, then gasps "I would _never_! Arthur! No!"

He has nothing to do not but sulk then. He lets Merlin go, watches him rub at his shoulder like Arthur hurt him.

"I don't get it," Arthur says, irritated. "you're just a servant! And you're _ludicrously idiotic_ to boot. And not very manly either!"

Merlin hugs himself, and they stand together, shoulder to shoulder thinking until Arthur sighs and says "Go to bed. Gods. And if I hear that you've gone seeking the Lady Ingrede's company tonight-"

Merlin gasps in outrage.

"-well, just...go to bed." And then Arthur cuffs him in the head and has to grin. "You little bastard. I can't believe you."

Merlin grins back then, cheekily. Which only makes Arthur feel another wave of irritation, pride hurt.

He kicks him in the arse when Merlin turns to flee.

 

 

The Lady Ingrede leaves the next morning, though she and Uther seem to be on comfortable, warm terms with each other over breakfast.

Merlin does not attend them, but he does show up at the last moment at the gate, where Arthur is seeing her carriage out of the city.

" _Merlin_ ," Arthur growls, but Merlin doesn't try to do anything, he just stands oddly to the side, holding his arm in his fist, worrying his lip.

The Lady Ingrede's carriage passes, and she looks out at them at the last moment, smiling.

When Arthur checks him, Merlin is grinning back.

"Ugh, for the love of all that's sacred, stop looking so bloody smitten."

Merlin walks with him quietly, and whenever Arthur gazes at him, he's smiling some secret way to himself.

 

 

 

After years of relative peace, the cows plump in their fields and Camelot almost smothered by her surplus harvest, Mercia starts a war by swarming the border and burning fertile fields all across Albion, destroying the fall crop.

Before Arthur can join the men at the border, his father sends him and three of his knights on an errand to gather friends of Camelot in unprotected territories, to bring them back to Camelot's safe walls.

Arthur looks at his list, casts a frown at Merlin clumsily readying the saddle bags on their horses and says "We're to get the Lady Ingrede. Will this be a problem for you, _Mer_ lin? Or can you contain yourself?"

Merlin's back is to him, but Arthur sees his fingers pause in his work. And then they go back to fiddling with the leather tack. "Why should it be a problem?"

"Oh, I don't know," Arthur says, sarcastic. "Perhaps because the last time you saw her, you nearly despoiled her in the great hall?"

Merlin shoots him a frown, says "Liar."

Arthur rolls up his map, his list and stuffs them under his arm, pulls on his riding gloves. "Just take it easy. I don't need my father flogging you for ruining the lady."

He swings onto his horse, settling and Merlin climbs onto his.

They ride out of the city with Arthur's men. It's not until they hit the high road that Merlin grumbles "Besides, it's been two years. Like she even remembers-"

Arthur rolls his eyes "Great. It's going to be twelve days and nights of your lovesick sighing, isn't it?"

Merlin looks away, face to the sun.

 

 

There are rebels in the hills, the fields are on fire when they reach the Lady Ingrede's lands and Arthur warns the men to keep their weapons at hand. They're rounding a pass just as the manor comes into view and there's a sudden whistle as an arrow skims right over Arthur's shoulder, sends both him and Merlin looking behind them before Arthur roars "Arrows!"

The men brandish their swords and they're about to charge when a call comes to them, a woman's voice "Friend or foe?"

Arthur pulls his helmet off, shouts "It is I, Prince Arthur of-" and then, from the woods, comes a band of fighters, carrying crossbows and shields.

He looks at the woman before him, mouth agape. "Lady Ingrede?!" he says, strangled. "What are you doing?"

"Defending the realm!" she shouts back strongly. But then she slowly drops her lifted sword and blushes like a _girl_.

When Arthur tracks her view, he sees Merlin sitting there on his horse, eyes unblinking, staring back at her.

"Ugh," Arthur says disgusted.

 

 

"Come, you will ride with m-" Arthur starts, but watches Merlin reach to catch Lady Ingrede's offered hand, pulling her easily up on his horse in front of him. They smile to each other and Merlin says softly "Are you comfortable? Is that-"

And she grins back, head turned to look up at him and says "I'm fine, thank you," and Arthur ends up carting some squire name Timothy on his horse, the boy's grubby fingers cinched on his belt.

"All right!" Arthur shouts. "Lets get on! We have a long ride to safety!"

And then he gives Merlin a pointed look, growls "I'm watching you."

Merlin, the bastard, cuffs an arm around the lady's waist as he nods to Arthur dutifully, holding the horses reins with his free hand.

 

 

Of course, Arthur can't keep his eye on Merlin the whole time, but he does expect a little _reticence_ and shyness, what with years between them and only a small, rather plain, rather _forgettable_ kiss to bind them together. And that's not much if you ask him. Arthur can barely remember half the names of the girls he kissed two years ago.

He's convinced himself that it's absurd for him to worry at all, and then the little squire at his back says "Erm, sire?"

And when Arthur turns back to listen closer to him, he gets a good eyeful of what the squire is fisting his mail for.

They're... _kissing_. Or really, nursing each other's mouths. Lady Ingrede's twisted around in his cuffed arm, leaning back against him, hand in his _hair_ , _pulling_ a little. And Merlin's eyes are screwed shut and, yeah. Arthur can understand why _that_ is. Not a fun thing, to be in _that_ kind of state on horseback.

From here, Arthur can hear them, Merlin's shocked, inner noises, captured by her mouth.

" _Will you have some decency!_ " Arthur shouts and the two pull apart. There is a trail of _wet_ between their mouths for a second and then they're both looking rather flustered, and Merlin's hair is just _wrecked_ , all twisted in handfuls.

"If I...I will part you, if you keep this up!" Arthur says, pointing at them both. Lady Ingrede actually _smiles_ , turns her face into Merlin's jacket, hiding herself. Merlin looks down at her, watching her raptly. Arthur makes a face and pries the squires hot hands off of him. "Let go, confound you!"

 

 

They sit by a bonfire, eating a hare Arthur stalks in the last hours before dark, dragging Merlin, miserably, behind him.

Merlin sits with Lady Ingrede on a rock across from Arthur, sharing a private conversation. Arthur's never thought of Merlin as a man, but here he is, a head taller or more than Lady Ingrede, looking down at her with sleepy eyes, all lazy with his pleasure in her company, and Arthur's struck then, by the fact that Merlin is perhaps a young man after all.

They're just talking, mostly. But sometimes Arthur looks up and catches them kissing, her head turned up to his, Merlin's lips so soft and pink, his eyes slipt closed.

"Hey!" Arthur snaps and they pull apart, grinning. But it doesn't stop them from stealing more kisses, peppering them in their quiet interactions.

Arthur's seen lovemaking. Knights who leer at servant girls (he's done his own fair share of leering), the beginning stages of arranged matches, all dour and formal, almost chilly in their propriety. But here he sees lovemaking of a different sort. All shy, heated attraction, stolen kisses that aren't _taken_ greedily but _given_ greedily. Arthur rests his chin on his hand, watching. Frowning.

 

 

"You will stay beside me tonight quietly or I will tie you to me," Arthur growls at him, getting into his bedroll beside Merlin.

Merlin is looking, brow furrowed, at the ceiling of their tent, blanket pulled to his chin. And he just snorts, rolls over on his side.

"I am not joking, Merlin!"

"I would never... _do_ as you are implying. So just...go to sleep."

"Do I need to get an armed sentry-" Arthur warns but Merlin just kicks him in the shin.

Arthur throws an arm around him then, makes Merlin squirm.

"This is how it has to be if I'm going to get any sleep tonight," Arthur says and Merlin sighs.

"You could just tell me you're jealous," Merlin says, voice mocking.

"Shut up or I'll smother you," Arthur growls back.

They sleep fretfully.

 

 

It's not until hours later that Arthur's awakened, and then he's a bit sleep-fuzzy, so he ends up dragging Merlin along the bedroll and close to him in defense.

"It's not me," Merlin says, irritated. The tent-side lifts, comes down quietly as someone comes in.

"Who goes there?" Arthur asks, "show your-" and a cool palm drops over his mouth.

"Arthur Pendragon, be quiet," Lady Ingrede shushes him.

"Oh gods-" Merlin whispers and the bed roll moves, the blanket lifts and Arthur can feel her climb in on the other side of Merlin. He pulls his own arm away, startled.

" _Lady Ingrede_!" Arthur hisses.

"Shhhh," Lady Ingrede says, "I have lost all my land today, most of my friends and all of my possessions. You will not deprive me of this one indulgence."

"Oh _gods_ ," Merlin moans then, and Arthur hears the soothing sound of her kiss.

He's too stunned for a moment to raise any dispute, and then Merlin's reaching back, _twisting_ Arthur's sleep hose against his upper thigh. Like just the weight of her pressed to him, her offered mouth is already too much for him.

"Gods, Merlin," slips out of him and then he strains to listen to them.

It starts slow, little murmurs shared between kisses, love words just for them, breathed to each other's mouths.

And then the hand on his hose pulls tight enough to tear.

Merlin _shouts_ , choked "Ah, _ah_!" sounds that make Arthur tense, worried the others may here.

"Just be demoralized in silence, please," he hisses.

They only pause a moment, and then they're kissing again, wet sounds punctuated by Merlin's caught breaths, sharp inhales.

Arthur lies back, listens to them. It's actually not so bad. He even hardens at their sounds, reaches to hold himself, fat in hand.

There's a rustle of clothing, then the soft skin-sounds of her hand on Merlin. For long, quiet minutes, it's just their breathing, Merlin's little hitches of air and the skin-on-skin slap of her hand.

"I. Need-" Merlin gasps suddenly, throatily, and Arthur knows that feeling, the way it gets before you finally breach a woman's body. How your body sharpens, tightens in that anticipation. Arthur tugs his cock in sympathy, sighing.

He feels them roll, Merlin settling on top of her and Arthur warns "Gentle, Merlin, or I will thrash you tomorrow-" Hears Merlin's "Oh, _oh_ , gods-" of reply.

Merlin's arse rises and Arthur's leg is pressed by Lady Ingrede's knee as she parts. He hears the moment it happens, Merlin's short, deep grunt and the Lady Ingrede's hiccupy gasp.

The air almost _hums_ with the intensity of them, caught in that first lock of pleasure. Arthur can taste it. He licks the salt off his upper lip and starts jerking himself, hand quick.

They tremble and then Merlin says, voice thick "Oh, my lady-" and he's _buggering_ her. Wild, sharp movement that shakes the tent, that Arthur can see, frantic in the shadows. Lady Ingrede's breath goes swift, tinged with all this feminine distress that Arthur knows means she's enjoying the wantonness of it. But Merlin doesn't know. He tremors to a stop just as suddenly as he started, and in the midst of taking lung-fulls of breath, Merlin says "-am I...hurting you?"

Lady Ingrede moans long and devastated. Arthur bites his lip, hand going clammy on his own sex, bringing himself very close to pleasure.

" _Merlin_ ," Lady Ingrede begs "Please, _please_ -"

Merlin chokes in understanding and takes her again. Arthur can see them, the way Merlin is arched like a bridge over her, his face buried in her shoulder as his ass flexes, twists and lifts, uniting himself with her over and over. Arthur turns on his side to watch them better, teeth in his lip.

Her arms are around Merlin's shoulders, holding him close, one hand in the hair at his nape. Loving him. Hugging. Merlin is breathing out of his mouth, gasping like he does when he's running, when he's upset and fighting.

His movement gets unsteady, slows again, and Arthur can _see_ , even from here, Lady Ingrede's nails sharpen into Merlin's flesh. Merlin hisses, head thrown back, hips still working but syrup-slow, thrusts shallow.

"Merlin-" Arthur says at the same time Lady Ingrede does.

Merlin's sucking his lower lip, adam's apple bobbing. "I c-can't go more. I...I won't last. I'm so, _so close_."

So Arthur rolls his eyes, reaches to take the boy's ass into his hand, so warm and surprisingly _fleshy_ , shoves him back _down_.

"Oh!" Merlin cries like it's punched out of him.

"Fuck her," Arthur says, ridicule sharpening his voice. "For her sake, for _my_ sake, finish her off-"

And Merlin does, in a spate of thrusts that are all long and instinctive, like he's feeding her with these strokes. Arthur would feel proud if it wasn't bringing him right off too.

He strips the pleasure right out of himself, shaking, listening to Lady Ingrede give her beautiful, last sob so generously to the night.

Merlin stiffens and mewls for her, hips seeming to twitch on their own. And then he finishes, quiet, sprawled between her soft thighs.

 

 

When he awakens in that faint pale of early morning, he finds her riding him.

Merlin's long, spindly fingers reach, touch over her parted mouth and she _jolts_ on him, leaves Merlin trembling.

And then he's touching her lips again and her tongue swipes his fingertips as she smiles, closes her eyes and concentrates on having him.

When Merlin comes, his hands find her hips, holding, guiding. He comes with one sharp jerk, moaning.

She slows then, hunching over him to seek her own pleasure, running her hands up his lean chest, over his ribs.

Arthur closes his eyes as they nuzzle together, kissing.

He listens to her gathering her clothes. To the way Merlin teases her, his Ealdor accent richer, thicker. She laughs, and then Merlin chuckles. And they kiss for a long time before she finally leaves the tent with parting words that are all promises.

Merlin lies back beside him with a sigh.

"I know you're awake," he says and Arthur opens his eyes.

Merlin looks over at him, happy.

Arthur snorts. "You're an awful slattern then, aren't you."

Merlin rolls his eyes, turns over, annoyed.


End file.
